Method for forming golf ball subassemblies

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method of forming a golf ball subassembly. After forming a partially-cured golf ball subassembly, the partially-cured subassembly is placed in a medium to continue curing until it is a substantially-cured subassembly. The medium in this embodiment is heated air and the subassemblies are moved through the heated air on a spiraled path. Subsequent to substantially curing the subassembly, it can be cooled in a cooling unit with a spiraled path. In one embodiment, the subassembly is a core, in another embodiment the subassembly is a core with a castable material thereabout.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of forming at least one substantially-cured golf ball subassembly comprising the steps of: 
 a. providing at least one partially-cured golf ball subassembly including a partially-cured material;    b. placing said at least one partially-cured golf ball subassembly in a convection oven;    c. flowing heated air at a predetermined curing temperature through said convection oven;    d. moving said at least one partially-cured golf ball subassembly through said convection oven on a vertically spiraling path for a predetermined curing time; and    e. contacting said at least one partially-cured golf ball subassembly with said heated air on said vertically spiraling path to change said partially-cured material into a substantially-cured material and form said at least one substantially-cured golf ball subassembly.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further including forming a plurality of partially-cured golf ball subassemblies and moving said plurality of partially-cured golf ball subassembly through said convection oven, wherein said plurality of partially-cured golf ball subassemblies includes about 10,000 to about 50,000 partially-cured golf ball subassemblies.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further including the steps of removing said at least one substantially-cured core from said convection oven and cooling said substantially-cured golf ball subassembly.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said step of cooling said substantially-cured golf ball subassembly further includes: 
 placing said at least one substantially-cured golf ball subassembly in a cooling unit;    flowing cooled air at a predetermined cooling temperature through said cooling unit;    moving said at least one substantially-cured golf ball subassembly through said cooling unit on a vertically spiraling path for a predetermined cooling time; and    contacting said at least one substantially-cured golf ball subassembly with said cooled air on said vertically spiraling path to change said substantially-cured golf ball subassembly into at least one cooled substantially-cured golf ball subassembly.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the predetermined cooling temperature is between about 20° F. and about 100° F.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the predetermined cooling temperature is between about 40° F. and about 60° F.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the predetermined cooling time is between about 30 minutes and about 60 minutes.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one partially-cured golf ball subassembly is a core.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined curing temperature is between about 300° F. and about 500° F.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined curing temperature is between about 350° F. and about 500° F.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined curing time is between about 30 minutes and about 60 minutes.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one partially-cured golf ball subassembly includes a substantially-cured golf ball component and said substantially-uncured material surrounds said substantially-cured golf ball component.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said partially-cured material is a castable material.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said step of providing at least one golf ball subassembly further includes: 
 providing at least one pair of mold halves each with a hemispherical cavity;    disposing said partially-cured material within said hemispherical cavity of each mold half;    locating said substantially-cured golf ball component within a one of said hemispherical cavities; and    closing said pair of mold halves about said at least one substantially-cured golf ball component to form said at least one partially-cured golf ball subassembly.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said substantially-cured golf ball component is a golf ball core.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said substantially-cured material forms an additional layer on said golf ball core.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said substantially-cured golf ball component is a golf ball core surrounded by at least one intermediate layer and said substantially-cured material forms an additional layer on said substantially-cured golf ball component.  
     
     
         18 . A method of forming at least one cooled substantially-cured golf ball subassembly comprising the steps of: 
 a. providing at least one substantially-cured golf ball subassembly;    b. placing said at least one substantially-cured golf ball subassembly in a cooling unit;    c. flowing cooled air at a predetermined cooling temperature through said cooling unit;    d. moving said at least one substantially-cured golf ball subassembly through said cooling unit on a vertically spiraling path for a predetermined cooling time; and    e. contacting said at least one substantially-cured golf ball subassembly with said cooled air on said vertically spiraling path to change said substantially-cured golf ball subassembly into at least one cooled substantially-cured golf ball subassembly.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said substantially-cured golf ball subassembly is a golf ball core surrounded by at least one additional layer.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said additional layer is formed of a castable material.